Singapore leads Global Mobility in the WCR 2026 report, with Japan and South Korea tied in second

The World Citizenship Report 2026, published by CS Global Partners on 14 January 2026, places Singapore first in the Global Mobility pillar with 91.0 points out of 100. Japan and South Korea are tied in second on 89.6 points. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are tied in third on 88.9 points.

Leading countries in Asia-Pacific

East and South-East Asia account for four of the top 10 in this pillar. Alongside Singapore, Japan and South Korea, European countries take most of the remaining places. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway are tied in fourth on 88.6 points.

According to the Henley Passport Index 2026, published on 13 January 2026 using Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Singapore passport gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 of the 227 destinations assessed. Japan and South Korea are tied in second with 188 destinations.

Where Vietnam stands

In the report’s Global Mobility pillar, Vietnam scores 19.1 points and is tied in 111th place with Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic and Liberia. According to the Henley Passport Index 2026, the Vietnamese passport gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations.

Historical data from Henley & Partners shows the Vietnamese passport reaching a five-year high in the 2026 rankings. Henley & Partners attributes Vietnam’s rise to positive developments in foreign relations, including expanded bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as improvements to visa agreements and policies in recent years.

The global mobility picture

The World Citizenship Report 2026 judges the 2026 rankings to be relatively stable, reflecting the inherent inertia of visa arrangements, which change slowly over time. Even so, mobility is becoming increasingly uneven despite the stability at the top of the table.

The report cites China’s extension of short-stay visa-free access to several European countries during 2025, including trial exemptions for France, Germany and Italy, as part of an effort to stimulate tourism and business travel. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have continued to simplify entry requirements and widen eligibility for visas on arrival.

Priorities in the survey

In the survey of 546 mass affluent individuals, greater freedom of movement ranks third among the motivations for seeking a second citizenship at 18.7%, behind better financial, business or career opportunity (18.9%) and quality of life (27.3%).

Taken together, motivations relating to security and stability outweigh mobility as a standalone driver. Access to a safer country (17.2%) and long-term backup options for the family (9.5%) together exceed the figure for freedom of movement.

Global Mobility within the overall score

The Global Mobility pillar carries 15% of the weighting in the World Citizenship Index, the same as Financial Freedom. Safety and Security and Quality of Life each carry 25%. Economic Opportunity carries 20%.

CS Global Partners is a citizenship and residence advisory firm based in Mayfair, London, founded in 2012.